The Jarome Iginla – Boston Bruins experiment was a smash success, at least during the 2013-14 regular season. Things didn’t go so smoothly for “The KIL Line” in the postseason, prompting CSNNE.com’s Joe Haggerty to hypothesize that Iginla will need to seek work elsewhere in 2014-15:

In case you have trouble with the video, here are some key points from Haggerty’s comments:

“Iginla appeared to really enjoy his time with the Bruins and the team has already expressed an interest in bringing him back, but it’s a very rigid set of terms that Boston can offer,” Haggerty said. “Realistically they can only offer a one year deal full of bonus money similar to this season.”

I think Boston would be wrong to let him go. They should definitely do what they can to re-sign him. That said, if I was Iginla, no way I’d take another 1 year incentive-laden deal. He proved this year that he deserves a multi-year contract.

I want Iginla back in Boston but he has to take less money and is either going to be on the 2rd or 3rd line. The Bruins need a goal scorer on that first line, not an aging veteran. I like Iggy a lot and I think he brings value but he dragged Krejci down. Gaborik is the guy I’ve been all over since the deadline and, considering the fit with the Kings, I really think he would be doing just as well for the Bruins. If they can get him out of LA I’d love to see him in Boston next year. Either way, I don’t want Iginla on the first line, I want someone who can finish.

P.S. Haggs, whoever they get for the first line, let’s not nickname them before they play in the playoffs this time.

Because he’s too slow and is. That’s really not his fault and he earned his money with his regular season totals (though a lot of his goals were empty netters). But the Bruins wouldn’t be smart to bring back a guy who slows his line down. You could see how the Montreal defensemen were never on their heels playing against him and how aggressive they were. Now going up against the speedy forwards of the Rangers they look average and are making way more mistakes. Again, Iggy did his job this season and none of this is his fault, but the Bruins would be making a big mistake keeping that line together again for another year.

Iggy wants a cup, and I don’t think Boston is the answer! I could be wrong but to me they are on the decline and have to get younger! If he wants a cup he’s going to have to take less money or same type of deal!

How are they on the decline? All of the core forwards are in the prime of their careers, they have one of the most promising young defensive squads in the league, not including guys in their system, and Rask is 27.

Way to compare sports and organizations that have nothing to do with each other. And Ellsbury is so worth 20+ million with his .258 BA and 53rd ranked .328 OBP to go along with his continued fragility.

canadatude - May 26, 2014 at 7:29 AM

Bruins better get off the fence. Can’t have it both ways. Sign him or move on.

Sixchr what are you talking about? You know as much as Hags does about hockey.

“The Bruins need a goal scorer on that first line, not an aging veteran.”

Iginla is a goal scorer. On top of this how in the hell do you think he brought Krejci down? Krejci just didnt show up to play buddy, its his own fault and was a big reason why Bruins lost.

‘Krejci didnt score in playoffs because of Iginla’. Haha you must be high.

dboldave - May 26, 2014 at 12:41 PM

Haggerty has a huge crush on Gaborik and it’s all he’s been talking about lately. I wouldn’t put too much stock into this and my guess is you see Iginla back on a one year deal.

elvispocomo - May 26, 2014 at 2:06 PM

If Iggy doesn’t re-sign, I can see it being a personal choice after some of the Bruins’ behaviour this year. Iggy’s been a pretty respectful and classy player over his career, but having him in the handshake line right behind Lucic as Lucic is telling people he’ll f’ing kill them next year probably didn’t give him a lot of confidence this is a team he’d like to be on.

I’d love him in Vancouver on a similar deal if Vancouver moves other pieces, but he’ll likely still want to go to a team with better cup chances.

“I’d love him in Vancouver on a similar deal if Vancouver moves other pieces, but he’ll likely still want to go to a team with better cup chances.”

That is like 20 other teams.

elvispocomo - May 26, 2014 at 8:26 PM

Didn’t say there wasn’t.

If the Canucks don’t move a big piece like Kesler to make space in the top 6 then I don’t even think they’d have space for him, but I’d be happy to have him. One reason to note Vancouver is in spite of the Western Canada Vancouver/Calgary rivalry Iginla lives in BC in the off season, so maybe that plays a factor.

Ingla has the best shot at a cup in Boston If he goes it’s on Bruins letting him walk. I believe he would stay in a heart beat They have size & speed in Providence they ain’t trading anyone they are working to keep Solderberg, Carron Krug Frazer and Miller those are the contracts that need solidifying No more Old Timers coming to bean town
Ingla did not hurt the Bs Krejchi did and The ball of hate missing open nets that and they were just unlucky at every turn in the Habs series they will be fine and back again

I think people become confused, overally enamored with regular season stats. I also feel as though people dont understand the importance of speed. When the B’s won the Cup they had alot more speed. Seguin, Kelly, Peverley, a motivated Lucic who was skating, a younger/faster Chara, these were the proper ingredients to winning a Stanley Cup. Now they have become slower, injury prone and have traded away most of their speed. Yes they performed well during the regular season, yes Iggy scored 30 goals but it all means NOTHING if those same ingredients cant get you past the 2nd round of the Playoffs. When I hear the B’s brass say they dont plan on making anything other than small tweeks to the roster I cringe as they too have fallen for the regular season trap. You are only as good as your Post Season team, forget up your regular season team unless they dont get you to the Post Season. Just look at the LA Kings who the year they won the Cup they were in the last Playoff spot, same with this year, the Regular season means NOTHING!
Now, anyone that wants Iggy back to play on the first line needs to be re-educated about what makes up a winning team. Iggy is too SLOW and isnt worth $6m a year at this point, sorry. If he wants to take less money and then play on the 2nd line great but the 1st line needs more speed and Krejci needs to play with a Sniper, which Iggy no longer is. That could be Vanek or maybe Gaborik, Moulson, Cammalleri or someone in trade but he needs to play with better players than what he had if the B’s want Playoff fortune.
The B’s must also add 1-2 solid Defenseman, in fact this is where I would spend most of the money but PC has to lose some payroll first and that will mean someone with a higher salary than McQuaid but who?